The CEO’s Masked Secret Wife novel Chapter 79

79 The Couch Confession

79 The Couch Confession

## Hazel’s POV

The upscale restaurant buzzed with energy as our large group settled around a private table. The shopping expedition had left us all in high spirits, especially Stella, who couldn’t stop smiling after her workplace triumph.

“To new dresses and putting snobs in their place,” Chloe proposed, raising her glass of champagne.

We clinked glasses, laughter rippling around the table. Liam’s hand rested comfortably on my knee beneath the tablecloth, his thumb tracing small circles that sent shivers up my spine.

“I still can’t believe what happened,” Stella said, shaking her head. “My manager’s face when she saw the final total…”

“You earned it,” Adrian assured her, his arm draped casually over her shoulder. “Though I must say, I rather enjoyed the look on Cybele’s face more.”

“That was priceless,” Thea agreed. “Like she’d bitten into a lemon soaked in vinegar.”

The waiter arrived with our appetizers, momentarily pausing the conversation. As we sampled the delicious food, I caught Liam studying Stella thoughtfully.

“Have you considered what’s next for your career, Stella?” he asked suddenly.

She looked up, surprised. “What do you mean?”

“You clearly have talent in sales and customer service,” Liam continued. “And you handled that difficult situation today with impressive professionalism.”

Stella blushed at the compliment. “Thank you, but I’m just doing my job.”

“Actually,” Liam set down his fork, “I’ve been meaning to ask. My company is looking for

a new executive secretary in the marketing department. The pay is substantially better than retail, with benefits and regular hours.”

The table fell silent. Stella stared at Liam, eyes wide.

“Are you… offering me a job?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“If you’re interested,” Liam replied smoothly. “Hazel speaks highly of your organizational skills, and I trust her judgment implicitly.”

My heart swelled at his words and the genuine opportunity he was extending to my friend. This was the Liam I’d fallen for-thoughtful, generous, and kind beneath his intimidating exterior.

“I-I don’t know what to say,” Stella stammered, looking to Adrian, who nodded encouragingly.

“Say yes,” I urged, squeezing her hand across the table. “You’d be amazing, and we could have lunch together!”

A smile bloomed across her face. “Then yes, absolutely. Thank you so much for the

opportunity.”

“We can discuss details on Monday,” Liam said with a satisfied nod. “Consider it a formality. The position is yours if you want it.”

The celebration around the table grew even more festive, everyone raising another toast to Stella’s new career path. In that moment, everything felt perfect-surrounded by friends, with Liam beside me, his hand now entwined with mine above the table.

That’s when everything fell apart.

“Well, well, look who’s here!”

A shrill voice cut through our laughter like a knife. I turned to see three women approaching our table, champagne glasses in hand. My stomach dropped when I recognized Isabella Clairemont in the center, her predatory gaze fixed directly on

Liam.

Beside me,

I felt Liam tense. “Isabella,” he acknowledged coolly.

“Darling!” she exclaimed with exaggerated enthusiasm, tottering forward in her stiletto heels. “It’s been too long.”

Before anyone could react, Isabella slipped through the small space between chairs and plopped herself directly onto Liam’s lap. His body went rigid, hands immediately moving to her waist-to push her off, I realized a second too late.

Because in that second, Isabella grabbed his face and pressed her lipstick-coated mouth firmly against his.

Time stopped. My heart ceased beating. The happy bubble surrounding our table burst instantly.

Isabella broke the kiss with a dramatic smack, leaving a perfect red imprint on Liam’s stunned lips. She twisted to face the table, one arm draped possessively around his

shoulders.

“I was just telling the girls about our amazing night of love in your office during Evelyn’s party,” she announced loudly, her eyes flicking triumphantly to me. “That couch is now my favorite spot.”

The words hit me like physical blows. Office couch. Night of love. During Evelyn’s

party.

The very night he’d left me waiting.

“What the actual fuck?” Chloe exploded, standing so abruptly her chair toppled

backward.

Noah reached for her arm. “Chloe, wait-”

“Don’t touch me,” she snapped, yanking away from him.

Through my shock, I observed the scene as if watching from outside my body. Damian’s face had drained of color. Adrian looked horrified. Liam finally managed to shove Isabella off his lap, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Hazel,” he started, reaching for me. “This isn’t—”

I recoiled from his touch, my chair scraping against the floor as I stood. The restaurant had gone eerily quiet, other diners watching the drama unfold.

“Let’s go,” Thea commanded, already grabbing my purse and handing it to me. “Now.”

“But we haven’t explained-” Carter tried to interject.

Scarlett cut him off with a glare that could have frozen fire. “Save it.”

Isabella’s friends giggled from behind her, clearly enjoying the spectacle. Isabella herself wore a look of faux innocence.

“Oh dear, did I interrupt something?” she asked sweetly. “I just assumed everyone knew about us, Liam.”

My legs trembled as I backed away from the table. The pain in my chest was unbearable, a crushing weight that made breathing impossible. Office couch. During Evelyn’s party. The pieces fell into horrifying place.

“Hazel, please,” Liam stood, desperation in his voice. “Let me explain-”

“Explain what?” Chloe snarled, placing herself protectively between us. “How you fucked another woman while leading Hazel on? While letting her trust you? While knowing what she’s been through?”

Stella appeared at my other side, her arm wrapping around my waist to steady me. “We’re leaving,” she stated firmly.

“All of us,” Thea added, giving Carter a look of profound disappointment.

The men continued protesting as we walked away, their voices growing increasingly urgent. But it was too late. Isabella’s smug face and her casual revelation had destroyed everything.

In the parking lot, tears finally broke free, streaming down my face as Chloe fumbled for her keys.

“I’ll drive,” Scarlett said, gently taking them from Chloe’s shaking hands.

“I can’t believe this,” Thea muttered, her own eyes glistening. “I really thought they were different.”

Chloe was incandescent with rage. “I’ll destroy him. I swear to God, I will ruin him.”

“It’s not just Liam,” Stella pointed out quietly. “Did you see their faces? They all knew.”

That realization twisted the knife deeper. Noah, Damian, Adrian, Carter-they’d all kept Liam’s secret while watching me fall for him. They’d let me believe I was special when I was just another conquest, another woman to pass time with while he entertained Isabella on his office couch.

We piled into Chloe’s car, Scarlett taking the wheel while Chloe sat beside me in the back, holding me as sobs wracked my body.

“I knew it was too good to be true,” I choked out, my heart shattering into a thousand pieces. “I knew I shouldn’t have trusted him.”

“This is not your fault,” Chloe insisted fiercely, stroking my hair. “You hear me? This i

on him.”

Through the rear window, I caught a glimpse of the men rushing into the parking lot, searching frantically. Liam’s tall figure stood out, his face a mask of anguish as he spotted our departing car.

But it was too late. I turned away, burying my face in Chloe’s shoulder as years of insecurity and doubt came rushing back. I’d been a fool to think I could ever be enough for someone like Liam Sterling.

“The couch,” I whispered brokenly. “He told me he’d been working late that night.”

Thea reached back from the front seat to squeeze my arm. “Men are trash. All of them.”

“Not just men,” Stella added darkly. “Women like Isabella are equally terrible.”

As the car pulled onto the main road, my phone began buzzing incessantly. Liam’s name flashed on the screen, his desperate calls coming one after another. I turned off the ringer and dropped the phone into my purse.

“What do I do now?” I asked, my voice small and lost.

“Now,” Chloe said firmly, “we go home, drink wine, and remind ourselves that we don’t need men who lie and cheat.”

“And tomorrow,” Scarlett added, meeting my eyes in the rearview mirror, “you decide if you want to hear his explanation or tell him to go to hell.”

But I already knew. No explanation could erase what I’d heard, what I’d seen. The betrayal cut too deep, reopening old wounds that had barely started to heal.

Isabella’s words echoed in my mind: “Our amazing night of love in your office.”

The couch confession had shattered everything.